Traumatic Brain Injury Program Transition Summary

  • Assembly Bill 398 (Monning, Chapter 439, Statutes of 2009) was signed into law by Governor Schwarzeneggeron October 11, 2009. That bill transferred administration of the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Program from the Department of Mental Health (DMH) to the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) effective January 1, 2010.
  • The DOR is providing the leadership to facilitate a seamless program transition by implementing a coordinated transition plan with the DMH, the service providers, consumer groups and stakeholders.
  • DOR took the lead in conducting fiscal, historical and program transition meetings with the DMH; formed an internal workgroup tasked with coordinating the transition within the Department; participated in a statewide series of stakeholder meetings arranged by DMH; participated in an initial meeting with Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to discuss a possible Medicaid waiver to help fund the program; and conducted an initial orientation meeting for the service providers.
  • The TBI Program is housed in the DOR's Independent Living and Assistive Technology Section, and the identified lead staff are coordinating invoicing communications, and resource sharing.
  • Short term objectives include: developing a “higher level of program support” and transparent statewide communications; coordinating transition of contracts to the DOR; working with DHCS on the waiver application; identifying opportunities for resource sharing and leveraging federal dollars; and enhancing local support for service providers with DOR branch offices and Independent Living Centers.
  • A final report of the Traumatic Brain Injury grant managed by DMH will provide key findings and summary themes from stakeholder meetings held across the state in 2009; identification of potential waiver and state plan amendment options under Medicaid; and opportunities for collaboration and partnership at the state level to improve TBI services and programs.
  • Long term objectives will be developed in collaboration with consumers, stakeholders and service providers, and will include: developing and implementing improved standards for service delivery, uniform data collection, anand other aspects of program administration; addressing the composition and future funding of the TBI Advisory Committee; and, answering the question: “What does the TBI Program look like in 2015?”

Prepared by Department of Rehabilitation